Hurian Federation
OOC NOTE: For the main Hurian Federation project, please visit http://hurian-database.wikia.com/ for the private wiki. Please take into consideration that information there may be very inconsistent with the information you find here. Read the disclaimer on the main page.--- Hurian Shirikisho |image_flag = Flag of the Hurian Federation.png |image_coat = Emblem of the Hurian Federation.png |national_motto = Ndugu na Dada Katika Mikono Pamoja "Brothers and Sisters in Arms Together" |national_anthem = Baba Utupe Nguvu "Father Give Us Strength" |image_map = Geography of the Hurian Federation.png |map_width = 275px |capital = Defiance |largest_city = Kimbilio |official_languages = Swahili |demonym = Hurian |government_type = Nepotistic stratocracy |leader_title1 = Supreme Commander |leader_name1 = Maurice Williams |leader_title2 = War Minister |leader_name2 = Nandi Mashaba |leader_title3 = Procurator of Justice |leader_name3 = Valentin Andrieux |leader_title4 = Chancellor |leader_name4 = Josephine Williams |legislature = Federal Senate |sovereignty_type = Establishment |established_event1 = Declared |established_event2 = Recognized |established_event3 = Stratocracy established |established_date1 = 11 May 1891 |established_date2 = 12 September 1897 |established_date3 = 11 May 1903 |area_rank = 10th |area_km2 = 2,402,489 |area_sq_mi = 930,674 |percent_water = 4.15% |population_estimate = 233,787,057 |population_estimate_rank = 5th |population_estimate_year = 2013 |population_census = 212,458,593 |population_census_rank = 5th |population_census_year = 2012 |population_density_km2 = 97.3 |population_density_sq_mi = 251.20 |population_density_rank = 110th |GDP_PPP = $4.672 trillion (₣4.482 trillion) |GDP_PPP_rank = 3rd |GDP_PPP_year = 2012 |GDP_PPP_per_capita = $19,986 (₣19,176) |GDP_nominal = $4.517 trillion (₣4.482 trillion) |GDP_nominal_rank = 2nd |GDP_nominal_year = 2012 |GDP_nominal_per_capita = $19,323 (₣19,176) |Gini = 27.1 |Gini_year = 2012 |Gini_category = very low |HDI = 0.871 |HDI_rank = 25th |HDI_category = very high |currency = Hurian fedha (₣) |currency_code = HRF |time_zone = Hurian Standard Time |utc_offset = +5 |utc_offset_DST = |DST = not observed |drives_on = right |cctld = .hf |calling_code = +225 }}The Hurian Federation (Hurian: Hurian Shirikisho), or simply Huria (Hurian: Huria), is a nation in the . Huria is one of the largest nations in the world, with a total land area of 2.4 million square kilometers. Population-wise, Huria is home to more than 233.7 million citizens, giving it the fifth-largest population in the world. The capital of Huria is Defiance, located near to the south-central region of the nation, built deep within the protective valleys of the nearby Imara Mountains. The head of state is Supreme Commander is Maurice Williams, who as of 2013, leads the largest and only known existing stratocracy in the world. Huria is a leading member of the United Nations, and recently gained a seat on the UN Security Council. Established in 1891, Huria was founded on the principles of true equality and liberty force all, within reasonable limits to say the least. The government became a stratocracy in 1903 after it was deemed advantageous to do so. The desire to incorporate the strict and orderly way of life of the military into a nation was viewed as a move to bring order into a chaotic world. That incorporation has since changed the way Huria views the world and the way its citizens live and act out their daily lives. With such a martial way of life the ancient would admire, the Hurian people have been at odds with the more liberal West and the traditional Far East, two worlds Huria has awkwardly been caught in between of. Given its strict moral codes, highly demanding society, and isolationist nature, Huria has often be painted as a monster of sorts, seeking to spread "hate" and "tyranny" across the globe. However, this often comes from Huria's critics rather than those with a better understanding of the island nation. A high-income superpower, Huria is a member of several international organizations such as the , the , and a member of the . Though it promotes the military as a viable way of life for any self-respecting person, Huria has never forced its beliefs onto another nation, and has never openly declared war on another nation in its more than 122 years of existence. Etymology The word Huria (pronounced as "who-REE-ah"), comes from the Swahili word for "liberty", "self-sufficient", and "without restraint". The word was chosen by Carter Moore in 1738, after his discovery of the landmass. The movement that led to the federation's formation; the Huria Foundation, was named after Huria in 1837 by Othello Williams, the founder and the leader of foundation from 1837 to 1891, and used the word during the movement's war against the British, German, and Belgian forces to attract followers to his side, preaching liberty to the masses from European enslavement. When the nation was formed in 1891, Othello kept the name to symbolize the nation's endless struggle for freedom from the international forces in the world. History Main article: History of the Hurian Federation Early history (1738–1837) The island of Huria had long been settled by the descendants of the Swahili people since 1200 AD, when members of that group sailed abroad to the island in search for a new home. These people known as the Yamilima, settled Huria along the western coastline in modern-day Ukanda. However, warfare saw these people move deeper inland to the lands now known as Kusini and Kaskazini. The Yamilima took them name from the mountains they had settled, meaning in Swahili "of the mountains", and would come to give the mountains their namesake. Following their settling of Huria, there was little attempt to colonize the land by the Indians or the Africans, as the island itself was unknown to the rest of the world. That would change following the expedition of freed slave, Carter Moore. Moore, born a slave, purchased his freedom in 1711, and began a career as a sailor. He clawed his way to the top into the shipping industry and established a shipping company by 1730 which supported his lifestyle. He decided in 1734 to begin exploring as he had little knowledge of the world, only of the nations that his ships went to. This led to his taking the sloop-of-war SS Africana to sail the world. His decision would lead to an important event in Hurian history. In 1738, Moore and his largely black crew began sailing through the Indian Ocean to discover new islands and possibly new sources of wealth. A nearby typhoon blew the Africana off course in December, and saw the ship run aground Huria's southern coast. With no knowledge of the island he and his men had discovered, Moore set about exploring the island to learn more of the land. This resulted in the crew's discovery of the Yamilima people, who welcomed the sailors into their community. The native population explained to Moore and his men of their location and the current state of affairs on their island, which gave the foreigners some idea as to what they could expect. Impressed with the Yamilima people's knowledge and intelligence, Moore offered to "enlighten" the people by providing them with foreign technologies and teachings, citing his vessel as a good example of what they could accomplish with European knowledge. Moore married into the native population in 1741, marrying a young woman named Kamara, who would teach him and the crew Swahili and aid them in their conversion to the native religion, Katagamism. Moore named the island Huria, as it was discovered largely due to his desire to freely sail the seas, a liberting venture in his eyes. Over the years, the Yamilima people developed town and cities with the information provided by Moore, who secured the independence of the people for the time being. He died in 1763, but left behind a map that would allow others to move to Huria. Though not a nation at the time, the island was left alone by the Europeans, who were more concerned with the acquisition of lands in other parts of the globe. For the time being, Huria would be left alone. Colonization era (1837–1891) Following Moore's discovery of Huria in 1738, he left behind a series of detailed maps and locations regarding the island and its people. These were purchased by the Huria Foundation in 1837, which sought to establish a series of colonies for African-Americans that were desiring of returning to Africa, yet wished to establish themselves in a more developed region. Though Huria was not a part of Africa proper, it was home to a large African population, and this caught the eye of the organization. Led by Edison Williams, the Foundation consisted of highly aggressive African-Americans who had suffered greatly under slavery, and unlike their more pacifist brothers and sisters, they were not willing to put up with a peaceful solution that would simply call for them to lay down without a fight. When it became apparent that such an idea would ultimately be futile, the organization turned to colonization, albeit in a largely unknown part of the world. Huria was selected by the organization was it was not yet claimed by any of the European powers, who tended to avoid it and move on to their colonies. Thousands of "like-minded" African-Americans, and even some white Americans and Europeans, were recruited by the Huria Foundation to begin the process of setting up a colony in the southern half of the massive island. Naming the colony Nyanda, the Foundation managed to get 50,000 colonists to the area between 1841 and 1850. The success of the Foundation saw it attract the attention of numerous other groups which began following in its footsteps, and saw the organization aided by several groups seeking to accomplish the same goal. Japanese, Chinese, and Indian organizations acquired the permission of the Huria Foundation to merge with them, and join the in the colonization effort, and Arab and Persian refugees fleeing the economic decay of their homelands were granted permission by the Yamilima people to build cities on the island. Given the fact that neither the Foundation nor the colonists supported European imperialism, they welcomed with open armed by the Yamilima. By the late 1880s, Edison Williams had died, leaving his eldest son, Othello Williams, as the head of the Foundation in 1889. As a direct result, Othello was viewed as the de facto leader of the island and its ten million inhabitants, of which one million were settlers. This increase in the population, especially a large anti-European one, became a threat to the European powers, who began negotiating with one another on how they would divided the island up for themselves, and exile the leadership of the Huria Foundation. News of the plans had come to Othello's attention from correspondents in Europe, tending to those seeking to flee Europe and the revolutions of the time. Fearing the worse, Othello authorized the formation of the Hurian Federation in 1891, which sought to defend the sovereignty of the island from European imperialism. War and independence (1891–1897) See also: Hurian War of Independence Knowing all to well the threat of a European invasion, Othello reorganized the Huria Foundation into the Hurian Federation, marshaling its resources and employees into a military force, and bringing together the other leaders of the island to form a unified nation with which to combat the threats of European colonialism. With the help of Sir Edgard Kenway, a British expatriate tired of the misdeeds of his home country, he agreed to train the military force of Huria, and train the officers who would combat the invasion yet to come. Also helping with the endeavor was Desiree Hatcher, a young woman who had long been a major leader oft he Huria Foundation, and helped organize the government of the new nation. Finally, the leader of the Yamilima people, King Khamidi III was responsible for bringing the numbers of his people to bear to form the military needed to fight Europe. In 1891, the European empires consisting of the British Empire, France, and Germany, along with the support of Belgium and Portugal, sent 357,000 troops to fight the Hurian Federation, which gained the support of several local nations such as the Merina Kingdom in Madagascar and Sultanate of Zanzibar. Mercenaries from the Kingdom of Buganda and the Maasai tribe of Kenya were recruited to bolster the forces of Huria, and fend off the British-led invasion. The invasion opened with the landing of Franco-German troops in the sector of Tamabarare, which was under the protection of General Okkert Breyandt, who commanded a force of 15,000 men and women, trained by Edgard Kenway. His men fought to defend the capital city of Tamabarare, Tija, during the Battle of Tija. Though he lost 2,630 men in the fight, he successfully protected the city, providing the morale boast needed to start the six-year long conflict. The battle, though brutal, served as a warning to Europe of what was to come and how the Hurians planned to protect their new homeland. Over the course of the conflict, Huria was beset upon all sides as the British and the Indian forces invaded from the north, Germany from the west and France to the south and west. The Belgians and the Portuguese made matters no better as they sent troops from their nearby colonies to aid in the conflict as they too had a stake in the outcome of the war. The Hurian leadership was not idle at all. They focused on gaining recognition of their country from Latin America, the United States, and Asia. In 1895, the Russian Empire and the Empire of Japan officially recognized Huria following the decisive Battle of Makazi, in which a Hurian force of 65,000 under the command of now War Minister Edgard Kenway, wiped out a force of 80,000 Franco-German soldiers occupying the city. Such was the victory, that later on the United States acknowledged that it was mulling over whether or not to recognize the Hurian nation based on if it could win another victory such as that at Makazi. Later victories at Dhoruba, Athari, and Nafaka served to solidified Huria's status as a nation. Though having been defeated on many occasions, the Hurians pulled through, and ousted the European invaders in 1897. With no other choices, the European powers met at the capital city of Kimbilio, and signed the Treaty of Defiance, officially dropping all claims to Huria, and agreeing to recognize it as a sovereign nation. Post-war era (1897–1914) The years following saw the Hurian nation seek out ways to secure its independence from potential invaders, most likely to come from Britain though their colony in India. Also, the threat of economic sanctions by way of the great powers refusing to work with Huria in the global market, and political threats to push Huria into their spheres of influence, ultimately gave the Hurian leadership few viable options. With the threat of invasion too real to ignore, Hurians had to rearm and do so immediately. Having defeating numerous world powers, the anger and demand for revenge to clear their "honorable reputations" as "civilized nations", saw the European nations seeking ways to weaken and damage Huria when and wherever possible. As was the case with Ethiopia following Italy's defeat, the defeated party never gave up on their intentions to return and win in the second round of hostilities, and this Huria knew well. With so few options at hand, Williams, Kenway, and Hatcher agreed to developed a national military force built around the concept of total war. Though it was not the first military to be built around the idea, it was the first to take the matter to the extreme. Faced with major powers far more dangerous than anything the Hurians had ever faced, and having seen their military forces in actions in Africa, Asia, and South America for many decades, the threat of defeat and retaliation were massive. Thus, the Hurians spared no little effort in seeing to it that the health of their military forces were the center of all political action. Women who had taken part in the independence war had proven themselves capable combatants, and contrary to the popular thought of the time, the Hurians opted to grant all women the right to fight in active combat, the first nation to do so. Following this, the economic structure of the nation was built around three major pillars so as to develop a self-sufficient economy. The first was the military. All industries of the nation would built to support, equip, and feed the military forces of Huria, and during peacetime, be designed so as to easily transition into a low-level, low-risk operation to support the economy. The second pillar was agricultural. All farms were to use high-yield methods of harvesting so as to make every inch of Huria's arable land produce the food needed to support the population and military, and have enough to store or export. Future developments in agricultural technology would permit this pillar's existence. The final pillar was heavy industrial, distinct from the first pillar as it exclusively mentions mining. This third pillar demanded that Huria's resource-rich mountains not be carved up, but at the same time take advantage of new mining methods to get to the resources that the government needed to lessen its dependence on mineral imports. The fast-tracked development of this pillar allowed Huria to drop its import needed by 64% by 1900, and as it was later be discovered, Huria had many of the metals and minerals needed by the military, such as tin, aluminum, platinum, gold, iron ore, and copper, all in abundance, as well as rarer materials as well. The populace was properly indoctrinated into the state's programs over the time it took for these pillars to be erected, and capitalizing upon the unity built during the war, Huria's government was able to bring the people into its fold without having to rely upon armed force to do so. In 1903, Williams acknowledged his desire to develop a military government, stating his reasons for doing so as being that during his command of the military, his was impressed by the precision, order, cleanliness, and patriotism of the soldiers, and sought to apply those admirable traits to daily life in Huria. With the support of his his and the general population, Williams declared the formation of a stratocratic government to replace the fledgling democracy in the Hurian Federation. This was widely hailed by the people as a good thing, as many had already fought in the military, and were highly supportive of a structure they agreed got them through a seemingly unwinnable war. Though it horrified the Western powers, there was little they could do able the development except sneer at the new government. The following years following the development saw the Hurians industrialize their new virtually overnight, with the military-style social taking hold, the population's work force was mobilized into numerous sectors to begin building factories, hospitals, cities, ports, dams, water works, power systems, and farms, all in the effort to maintain Hurian independence. Many European powers were ready for a renewed conflict with the island nation, though developments on their front were beginning to push them closer to a war at home. By 1914, the Hurians had developed most of the infrastructure needed to thumb their noses as Europe, though they would have far more to thumb them at as they saw Europe's major powers gear up for yet another conflict at home, one that Huria would take advantage of as it played its way out. First World War (1914–1918) Interwar period (1918–1939) Second World War (1939–1946) Cold War era (1946–1991) Modern era (1991–Present) Geography Climate Environment Politics Main article: Politics of the Hurian Federation Government Main article: Government of the Hurian Federation The Hurian Federation is a stratocracy in which the military and the government are one in the same, that is to say, only military officers are allowed to hold major government positions. At the top of the government sits the Supreme Commander of the Hurian Federation, a position passed on through the Williams family which has held it for four successive generations. The current holder is Maurice Williams. The Supreme Commander is chosen by the Williams family from amongst the current War Minister of Huria, currently held by Nandi Mashaba, who serves as the Supreme Commander's second-in-command and personal aide. The Supreme Commander is both the head of state and head of government, and according to the Charter of the Hurian Federation, he wields extraordinary political powers. As Supreme Commander, he is also the commander-in-chief of the Hurian Armed Forces. The executive branch is a two-body cabinet, made up of the War Council and Advisory Council. The former is tasked with directing the military branches for the Supreme Commander, acting on his orders, and under the command of the War Minister who presides over the War Council. The Advisory Council is tasked with running the numerous government agencies of the government, and as their name indicates, advising the Supreme Commander on government policies and agendas. It also assists in handling certain aspects of the non-military side of the government, such as internal and foreign affairs, transportation, and the treasury. Members of these two bodies consist of active duty military officers in the War Council, and retired officers in the Advisory Council. The legislative branch of the government is the 2,000-member Federal Senate of the Hurian Federation. The Federal Senate, headed by the Chancellor of Huria, currently held by Josephine Williams, is responsible for creating laws and enforcing charter protocols. However, given the extent of the Supreme Commander's power, the senate is largely regarded as a rubber stamp body, with little actual political authority as the Supreme Commander can simply veto any legislation passed by the Federal Senate. For external reasons, the Supreme Commander nominally follows some of the laws passed by the senate, though he can easily override anything they pass his way. For this reason, many foreign political observers consider the Federal Senate a paper tiger, with only rubber-stamp powers allotted to it. There exist three political parties in the Hurian Federation; the mainstream Kukana Party, the industrialist Iron Front Guard, and the traditionalist Mwanamgambo. All three are roughly the same in their outlaying political agendas and beliefs, due to the Hurian government's ploy to mislead foreign observers that the people have a choice in politics. The Hurians themselves pay little heed to the political parties, acting as if they do not exist, as many being veterans feel that the military is doing what's best without the need for political bickering. Political corruption in punished harshly, with life sentences and even executions handed down by the government for such crimes against the Hurian nation. As such, Huria is one of the least corrupt nations in the world. Administrative divisions Main article: Sectors of the Hurian Federation The Hurian Federation is divided into eleven sectors, which in turn are divided into n/a districts. Each of these sectors is governed by a Sector Commander, who is elected to the position by the population of his or her current sector, or in some cases, directly appointed by the Supreme Commander himself. The District Commanders, who report to the sector commanders above them, enforcement of federal law, oversee the collection of taxes and resources, and the adequate measures taken to develop the infrastructure within their portion of the sector. There once existed beneath the districts administrative units known as wards, though these became highly unpopular and considered a waste of government resources. Given Huria's sparsely populated land in relation to its massive size, most of the district populations resided in large towns and cities instead of the countryside, resulting in the need for wards to disappear. Wards were abolished in 1977, and the districts became the lowest level of the administrative division in the government. Sectors do not possess many law-making powers, and must rely on the central government to pass laws for it to adopt and execute within its borders. Moves to permit sectors to make laws without the need of the federal government have been made, with the Supreme Commander passing a law which granted the sector commanders a wide range of legislative powers. Sectors were originally created in the place of provinces and states to serve as defensive regions, which were managed by generals who could marshal the vast resources of their sector in the event of an invasion. Today, sectors are allotted portions of the Hurian military which serve as the defense force of that sector during peace and wartime. Law and justice Main article: Law Enforcement in the Hurian Federation & Judiciary of the Hurian Federation The Hurian charter states that the judicial body of the Federation is that of a military tribunal system separate from the legislative but maintaining a major position in government given Huria's status as a stratocracy. The Supreme Court of the Hurian Federation, better known as the Mahakama, is the highest judicial body in the country, and enforces the laws of the government and the charter throughout the nation. As the Mahakama is part of a military government, it is required to ensure that the military, which runs that government, is properly regulated by an outside body to prevent any hint of corruption. As such, Hurian Military Police are under the authority of the Mahakama, who police the military as well as the civilian population. The head of the Mahakama is the Procurator of Justice, a post currently held by Valentin Andrieux. All military and civilian courts are under the direct control of the Procurator of Justice through the Mahakama. Freedom of speech and expression are not guaranteed by the charter, but it is tolerated by the government so long as truths are told. Lying is a crime punishable by imprisonment, and any of its other forms such as fraud and counterfeiting are punishable by death, or more commonly, life in prison. Freedom of religion is protected under the current laws, though Katagamism is the official state religion. However, atheism is not protected by the government, and no laws protecting atheists exist in the nation. Homosexuality is not tolerated in Huria, and the law specifically outlaws any such activities as punishable by one year probation for first time offenders, five years imprisonment for repeated offenses, and for those who actively attempt to break the law or change opinion on it, life imprisonment or death. Recently, the government declared that it neither confirms nor denies that a person is born gay, though it does state that so long as they do not practice it, then they are free to do as they please. On the topic of abortion, it has been branded as an act of manslaughter, and immediately punished with the death sentence. For women caught before the abortion can take place, however, they are permitted to carry the child to full-term before their execution. Foreign relations Main article: Foreign relations of the Hurian Federation Huria is a founding member of the , and an active member of the . It has observer status within the , and recently joined the to aid in the peacekeeping operations on the African continent. It has diplomatic ties with nearly every nation in the world, with the exception of a few, such as which Huria does not recognize as a sovereign state, and with whom Huria has only partial ties with. Huria has 150 embassies around the world, and maintains a strong presence in , with which it is a strong supporter and ally. The government of Huria maintains an active isolationist policy in which it does not actively engage itself in military alliances, and will not tie itself into any trade unions. Though it has numerous diplomatic links throughout the globe, Huria is very fickle when it comes to making allies. It only recently involved itself in Africa in the 1990s, and only signed an agreement to sell wheat to North Korea in 2010. Its view of allies is that they serve a purpose in maintaining a global balance, that when disrupted will then involve Hurian intervention. When the Iraqi military invaded Kuwait in 1991, Huria aided in expelling them to maintaining regional balance. The Hurian belief that balance in the world must be maintained only goes so far. Invading other nations on its own is not something the Hurians are privy too, and only when it is deemed a worthy endeavor will the government authorize intervention. A strict "Huria-first" policy has meant that the nation is geared toward taking care of its own needs first, and then assisting the nations of the world only when it feels they have earned that help. Alliances are carefully debated upon by the government, and its effects predicted by officials before anything is signed. Huria, while militaristic, is not aggressive, and will not pursue anything in such a manner without long and careful consideration. Military Main article: Hurian Armed Forces The Hurian Armed Forces are the sole military forces of Huria, combining numerous military organizations into one all-powerful organ of the Hurian nation. It consists of two million personnel, and another 2.1 million in reserve, the Hurian Armed Forces are the second large military force in the world. As a stratocracy, the military of Huria forms the most important circle of the nation, and is lavishly cared for as the powerful arm of the government. The military itself consists of numerous bodies, these include: the Hurian Land Forces, Hurian Air Force, Hurian Navy, Hurian Auxiliary Forces, Hurian Penal Legions, Hurian Minority Units, and Fatherland Militia. Each of these forces is further broken down into sub-units that perform certain tasks or missions, and each contribute to the security of the Hurian Federation. Most of these were founded shortly following the formation of the federation, while others were founded as they were needed or when certain circumstances saw other units absorbed into the military. A recognized nuclear weapons state, Huria is both a regional power and a superpower, holding the title since it replaced the Soviet Union which collapsed in 1991. The Hurian Federation's Hurian Air Defense Force, a branch of the Hurian Air Force, is known to hold the third largest nuclear arsenal in the world, with a cache of 1,784 active nuclear warheads, including 416 ICBMs. Along with these weapons, Huria maintains a number of fusion warheads, the first in the world. Huria possesses long-range power projection capabilities in the form of its ten fusion-powered super aircraft carriers. This is multiplied by the military's Foreign Combat Units, the Makomandoo, and the thousands of combat aircraft within the air force. As the leading stratocratic power in the world today, Huria's military forms an important facet of society and daily life in the nation, and thus, is lavished greatly by the government which is dependent on the military's strength and capabilities to protect the nation's well being. With a massive allowance of $668.5 billion (₣284.6 billion), or 6.35% of the nation GDP, the upkeep of the Hurian Armed Forces constitutes the largest portion of the annual government budget. This money is paid back into the nation as the military's personnel serves as farmers, bankers, industrial workers, and politicians in their spare time, and the maintenance of the military helps the national economy as it fuels the local industrial growth as more weapons, uniforms, food, and other major supplies are drawn from the nation's companies and businesses. Since the early-1900s, Huria has striven to maintain a lead or at the time, close the gap, between itself and the great powers of the world. Since the end of the Cold War, Huria has since closed the gap between itself and the United States. It has manufactured aircraft as the Maranga G-10 Tai, Enyiazu G-12 Umeme and R-4 Shambulio. Also, it has produced advanced rivals to the American M1 Abrams and German Leopard tanks, countering with its own K-107 and K-112 tanks. This says nothing of Huria's own stealth aircraft, such as the Enyiazu G-13 Makali, designed specifically to counter the American F-22 Raptor. Also, advances in the field of electronic warfare and the protection of anti-satellite missiles have gone a long way in maintaining the Hurians' rivalry with the United States' military. It is widely acknowledged that the Hurian military is just as capable as the American military, if not more so, though few analysts eager to see a direct military confrontation between the two. Economy Main article: Economy of the Hurian Federation Huria possesses a strong self-sustained economy, known to economists as an autarky. The Hurian nation developed all of its resources with little to no help from the outside world, ensuring that the Hurian economy is independent of the world's in most cases. However, trade on a limited basis does exist between Huria and the rest of the world. According the , Huria's national GDP of Huria stood at $10.556 trillion (₣4.499 trillion) as of 2012. The nation's was the same as the nominal GDP, standing at $10.556 trillion. The nominal and power purchasing parity GDP per capita was $45,154 (₣19,247). When compared to the rest of the world, the nominal GDP was the second largest in the world after the United States, but the power purchasing parity GDP third-largest after United States and China. Transport See also: Transport in the Hurian Federation The transportation system of Huria has a long and important history in the development of the nation. Before its independence, there only 171.4 kilometers of road, of which only 32.8 kilometers were paved. Following 1897, when the war of independence had ended, the government invested greatly in developing the transportation network in the nation once the funds could be allocated to the effort. Because of that extensive effort, and not having to worry of the preceding network of roads and railways as there were none, Huria was able to use the very best technology of the time to develop the transport system. Today, there are more that 68,158 kilometers of road and 212,351 kilometers of rail in the Hurian Federation, all repaved and rebuilt every fifteen years to ensure they are up-to-date with new technologies and safety standards. Huria's road network is consistently ranked amongst one of the safest in the world. Its laws regarding driving, flying, and public transport are often viewed as one of the toughest in the world as well, which is considered a factor in the safety rating. The nation has more than 200 million vehicles on the road, the vast majority of them using renewable fuel engine such as electricity. Fusion powered cars are making an appearance on the road as of 2012. Huria possesses an advanced air transportation infrastructure, which consist of a total of 1,371 airports with paved runways. Huria's largest airport is the Othello Williams International Airport in Kimbilio. The nation's flagship carrier is Air Huria, which is the largest airline in the country, and handles most of the passenger travel to and from Huria. The entire network of roads, rails, and airports are currently under the administration of the Directorate of Transportation. Energy Science and technology See also: Defense industry of Huria In technological terms, Huria is one of the most advanced nations on the planet. Having ridden the country of human rights groups, government interference, and corporate bickering, technological advancement has been aided by the country's military, which has been pushing Huria deep into the 21st century as a leading power of research and development. Companies such as Mkazo Industries, Enyiazu Aeronautics, Robotteknik, and Zana Robotics, have long been providing Huria with scientific breakthroughs and technological developments needed to stay ahead of the world's foremost scientific powers. One of the many benefits of these developments is that Huria's military technology is the finest in the world, surpassing that of the United States and its allies. Because of this, the defense industry is of utmost importance to the government and the country as a factor for its scientific patronage, as the military is in need of a constant flow of high-tech wares to keep up the country's military superiority. Huria spent a total of $370.998 billion (₣158.141 billion), or 3.52% of the national GDP, on research and development in 2012. Great importance is put on science and technology by both the Hurian government and Hurian society. The view is that the military can only do so much with guns, but great thinkers and researchers are also needed to ensure that the innovativeness of the nation never fades, and that the brawn of the nation is back up by its brains. Huria has a huge number of postgraduates compared to other nations, having produced 13,470 PhDs in 2012 alone. Another 470,000 BSc's were grant to Hurians in 2012, the second highest in the world after China. Hurian companies such as Maarifa and Maendeleo, have been at the forefront of personal computing and telecommunications. In 2013, Maarifa built the Kasi-3 supercomputer, which when it come online in late December, will be the most powerful supercomupter on earth, with more than 53.21 PFLOPS. Maarifa Kasi-3 supercomputer is one of the many examples of Huria technological capacity and the government's willingness to despense with the costs needed to stay ahead of its rivals the world around. Hurian maintains an active space program, which is under the care of the Federal Hurian Space Administration, which launched its first satellite, Tarishi-I, in 1965. Huria's first spacecraft, the Dhoruba space shuttle, was launched into space in 1978, taking with it five Hurian nationals, the first of their nation to enter space. The space launches took place at the Isiyokadirika Space Center, located in northern Huria. Demographics Main article: Demographics of the Hurian Federation Huria's population at the time of its formation was relatively diverse, with several hundreds of the tribes, ethnicities, and languages. Following the unification of the nation, and the uniforming of the culture, the ethnic groups became fewer and fewer. Currently, there are five ethnic groups, each referring to a group of people based on their culture and homeland. The largest of these are the Nyeusi, Swahili for "black", is used to refer to the black African population of Huria. The Nyeusi are not a single ethnic group, but just used to refer to the black African population. The Anyi are the single largest ethnic group in Huria, and dominate everything from politics to the economy. They are truly homogeneous, and are generally unwilling to bend culturally or idealistically. Then there are the Warabu (Arab) population, then the Mashariki (Asian and Indian). Following them are the Vazaha, or the Caucasian population in Huria. Huria's diverse ethnic population has given it much to work with, making overseas operations easier, as their forces are better able to operate around groups of similar religions, cultures, and ethnicities. Language Religion Education Given the serious consideration of education in Hurian culture and society, larger because of religious beliefs, Huria's population has been a strong advocate of advanced learning and reaching out for higher education. Schooling in compulsory for Hurian children upon reaching the age of four and going on until the child reaches age 17. All 14 years of education are paid for by the state, which seeks to maintain a high graduation rate, and prevent high levels of drop outs by re-enrolling the the child and tutoring them through a military program that leads to a high possibility of success in the Hurian Armed Forces. Indoctrination into the state's beliefs and ideals begins early in Hurian learning, with children taught all the basics needed for a successful career in the military given the nation's stratocratic system. Each and every Hurian child is required to go to school to learn the basic skills needed before moving on to another grade. During this time, gym and recess serve as periods where the children learn military skills. In gym, they learn martial arts, while during recess, they spend their time field stripping their weapons, learning how to aim and shoot them, and learn basic military drill. Most of the population between the ages 15 to 29 hold a tertiary qualification. The majority of the adult population has attained some form of secondary education after high school, with close to 41.6% holding a bachelor's degree or higher, while another 47.2% hold some form of secondary education or qualification, and the remaining 11.2% holding no higher education, but employed in areas of society which normally require degrees of higher education elsewhere in the world. The country maintains hundreds of universities, especial those majoring in polytechnics. Health Largest cities Culture Main article: Culture of the Hurian Federation Hurian culture is built around a military system, in which all citizens are soldiers of the state, and the state itself is the national military. Thus, people of Huria is the military of Huria. They are a homogeneous group, trained from youth that their country is the only thing they have, and losing it is a loss that they cannot forgive. For this reason will find few Hurians living in other countries if it's not for business or if they were exiled. Because of the military culture fostered within Huria, the people view each other as comrades, brothers and sisters fighting for the same reason, and striving for the thing. Thus, attempting to divided them has been difficult, as with any dutiful soldier, a Huria will always attempt to resist until his or her fellow Hurians are either saved, or put out of their misery. These views are only reinforced in adulthood, when Hurians not actively serving in the military, must spend up to five years serving in the Fatherland Militia, where the same doctrines of brotherhood and militarism are pounded into the minds of the Hurians. Art As a nation of soldiers, one would think that the Hurians would have little time for art. But to the contrary, the Hurians view it as something uplifting, perfect for keeping morale at a high, and ensuring the people of other nations that Huria isn't soulless. Though their art is viewed as somewhat aggressive, depicting violent battles between Hurian soldiers and those of nations elsewhere, the outcome of these paintings always show the Hurians raising the Crescent Flag over the corpses of their fallen enemies. While bordering on propaganda, few doubt the uplifting qualities of these paintings, and such artwork can be found hanging in the barracks or bases of Hurian forces wherever they are found. Music Hurian music has been geared toward building aggressive feelings within Hurian, to keep them ready to fight. Rap, metal, punk, and others are the most popular types of music in Huria. The Vazaha population in Huria is renowned for the huge number of metal and punk singers and musicians that it has produced, building an equally large fan base within the Vazaha group. Rap is by far the most music anywhere in Huria. Its songs of fighting, killing, and murder has made it widely popular amongst the youth in the country, though other nations have classed Hurian rap and metal as murder music, which considered the culture, the people, and the government's views, would be true. Cuisine Hurian cuisine is rather limited to so the least. Fears of overpopulation and destruction of arable farm and grazing land, with the added blow of urbanization, saw the need for artificial foodstuffs to feed the 233 million people now living on Huria without damaging the land. Hurian citizens eat little real food, most of their diet consisting of factory-made high-energy biscuits, vitamin and protein pellets, and energy drinks. Wealthier citizens such as commanders, officers, and government officials, are able to purchase Huria's organic foods, such as beef, chicken, and fish. Alcoholic beverages, however, are in abundance. The hydroponic farms in the food production levels of Hurian arcologies, have developed the perfect conditions for such drinks to be produced. While the disciple nature of the Hurians prevents them from indulging, they will never be found wanting when it comes to liquor. Media Sports As a nation that praises martial skill and physical prowess, it is of consequence that Huria's national sport, the Pan-African Fighting Tournament, is both the most violent and most dangerous in the world. Hundreds of the Hurian citizens take part in the sport, in which they must incapacitate or kill their opponent. The goal of the sport is promote militaristic ideals, and share fighting styles which can help improve the martial arts of Huria. Soccer was outlawed as it was deemed "too soft" for Hurian standards, while American football was promoted as a safer alternative to the PAFT, and ideal for the youth of Huria to play to build up the skills that could be transferred into their military service. These violent sports are not to say that the Hurians are more physical, and not intellectual. Games that work the mind are also popular as well. Chess is a game played by retired commanders and officers in Huria, older citizens who have served their country and now spend most of their time at home. They play such games to keep their minds fresh, and to help direct their fellow Hurians in a tactful manner should the need arise. Category:Hurian Federation